Top Landing Spots for International Free Agent Hyeseong Kim

While all eyes might be fixated on Roki Sasaki when it comes to the international free agent market, the field runs deeper than just him. There is value to be had across the board from both NPB and the KBO.

One of the names headlining the “best of the rest” is infielder Hyeseong Kim.

Kim patrolled second base exclusively last season for the KBO’s Kiwoom Heroes. While doing so, he slashed .326/.383/.458 with a 10.9% K-rate, an 8.3% walk rate and a 118 wRC+ in 567 plate appearances.

He has posted an OPS above .800 and a SLG above .440 in his last two KBO seasons, and an AVG above .300 and a wRC+ above 100 in his last four KBO seasons.

Overall, across eight seasons in Korea, Kim hit to the tune of a .304 AVG and .766 OPS in just under 1000 career games (953).

Moreover, he holds value beyond his bat as a plus baserunner. In his last seven seasons, he’s managed to swipe 20 or more bags in each campaign.

With a thinner middle infield free agent market this winter than in past offseasons, there should be no shortage of interested suitors for the soon-to-be 26-year-old.

So, with his 30-day posting window set to close on Jan. 3, here are some of the top landing spots for Kim in free agency.

Top Landing Spots

Seattle Mariners

It’s no secret that the Mariners are in dire need of a suitable option at second base, as their previous everyday option, Jorge Polanco, is currently a free agent.

After two straight years of swinging and missing on their second base additions – Polanco struggled in 2024 and Kolten Wong struggled the year before – Seattle has no choice to but scour the open market once again.

Seattle finished middle-of-the-pack at second base in 2024 in wRC+, with their below-average total of 95 placing them 14th in MLB. They didn’t fare any better in other offensive statistics, ranking 21st in OPS at .658 and 29th in AVG at .209.

Kim would immediately provide an upgrade over, or at the very least a good platoon partner for, their current projected starting second baseman Ryan Bliss, who is still getting acclimated to the MLB level with just 33 big league games under his belt.

And with his ability to play shortstop, Kim could also provide some flexibility as a backup for J.P. Crawford, who missed around two months with various injuries in 2024 and struggled to a .625 OPS and an 89 wRC+ when he was on the field.

From more of a macro lens, Kim’s contact skills could do wonders for a Mariners lineup that ranked second-to-last in all of baseball in AVG in 2024.

Atlanta Braves

Kim’s fit with the Braves would look a little different, as it would involve him playing primarily at his secondary position.

With Ozzie Albies manning second base full-time in Atlanta, Kim could turn to shortstop and provide some sort of alternative for the offensively disappointing Orlando Arcia.

After an All-Star season in 2023, Arcia’s production took a huge dip in 2024. He posted just a .625 OPS and a 72 wRC+ in 602 plate appearances.

Kim could come in and provide some much-needed offensive upside at short, whether that be off the bench, in a platoon with Arcia, or taking over at short full-time.

And with Albies missing extended periods of time in two of the past three seasons due to injury, Kim could also offer a higher-upside backup option at second than what Nick Allen, Luke Williams or Rule 5 selection Christian Cairo bring to the table.

We also can’t overlook baserunning when discussing Kim’s fit in Atlanta. He could provide the Braves with a way to supplement some of Ronald Acuña Jr.’s stolen bases as the former MVP continues to recover from a torn ACL.

Los Angeles Angels

The Angels have been busier than a lot of people would’ve expected this offseason, signing rotation options in Yusei Kikuchi and Kyle Hendricks and a top-end backup catcher in Travis d’Arnaud, along with trading for OF/DH Jorge Soler (among other moves).

At the MLB Winter Meetings earlier this month, they were reportedly interested in now Detroit Tiger Gleyber Torres, according to MLB insider Jon Morosi.

It’s easy to see why the Angels would be pursuing a second baseman. In 2024, they finished tied for 23rd at second base in AVG, 29th in OPS and 28th in wRC+.

Luis Rengifo is a solid option who is currently projected to play second in 2025, but with his ability to also play third base, this is where Kim could fit into the mix.

Given how unproductive Anthony Rendon has been at the hot corner for the majority of his Angels tenure, Rengifo could slot in at third more often, leaving second base at-bats up for grabs for Kim.

Should Los Angeles continue to roll with Rendon at third though, Kim could still be that solid third middle infield option to share time with Rengifo at second as well as shortstop Zach Neto. And he seems like an obvious upgrade over the pair of newly acquired Angels bench options, Kevin Newman and Scott Kingery.

Cleveland Guardians

After the Guardians traded Andrés Giménez earlier this offseason, the plan is seemingly to buy time until Travis Bazzana, Just Baseball’s No. 18 overall prospect, is ready to take over at second.

While that transition is likely to take place this season, there will probably be a period of time when Cleveland will have to deploy a stop-gap option.

Rookie Juan Brito currently projects to be that guy, as per RosterResource. He had a solid enough showing in the upper minors in 2024, showing why he could be that interim option at second for the Guardians.

But Brito’s .256 AVG, .736 OPS and 113 wRC+ in Triple-A Columbus, compared to Kim’s .326 AVG, .841 OPS and 118 wRC+ in the KBO in 2024, make Kim the more intriguing option for that role.

And even after Bazzana comes up, Kim would provide an insurance policy at second for Bazzana as he grows into the major league game. His versatility to fill in at short gives him a path to regular at-bats.

Despite his strong postseason showing, Brayan Rocchio, the Guardians’ current everyday shortstop, is still coming off a putrid 2024 regular season in which he slashed .206/.298/.316 with a 79 wRC+.

Kim would offer a solid upside option to compete with Rocchio for reps at short, ensuring the shortstop position isn’t entirely a black hole offensively for the Guardians in 2025 like it was last year.

New York Yankees

Kim might not be the big name that Yankees fans were hoping for at second when Gleyber Torres hit the free agent market.

But after they sent out their supposed top option at second, Caleb Durbin, in the Devin Williams trade, the Yankees are left with a hole to fill in their middle infield.

While other names with proven MLB track records might be more appealing for Brian Cashman and the Yankees’ front office, there’s no denying that Kim presents a more intriguing option than moving Jazz Chisholm Jr. once again and placing Oswaldo Cabrera at third.

While there will likely be growing pains as Kim adjusts to the MLB game, his past .300+ AVG seasons in Korea make him an option to fill the hole at the leadoff spot that Torres’ departure left.

And his plus speed and baserunning abilities would immediately be of immense help for a Yankees squad that finished 24th in the league in stolen bases and dead-last in BsR in 2024.

Other Teams to Consider

Houston Astros

The Astros don’t have the strongest case to make for Kim, as their middle infield looks all but settled between Jose Altuve and Jeremy Peña.

However, the depth beyond those two up the middle could be better. Shay Whitcomb had an excellent season in Triple-A but looked lackluster in a 20-game cameo in the majors last season. And a lot of Mauricio Dubón’s value comes from the fact he’s a utility option that can play across the diamond.

With Altuve not getting any younger, he’s entering his age-35 season in 2025, and Peña never really living up to the expectations he set when he captured World Series MVP honors in 2022, Kim provides Houston with a solid insurance policy at both middle infield spots.

And having two established options in front of him should also be of benefit to Kim in 2025, as it relieves him of any pressure to come out guns blazing as he adjusts to MLB baseball.

Washington Nationals

According to MLB insider Joel Sherman, the Nationals were interested in Gleyber Torres before he signed with Detroit in late December.

Now, their interest in Torres was reportedly centered around Torres playing third base, but acquiring an option in the middle infield for 2025 may not be a half-bad idea for Washington.

Torres was too good to be the third middle infielder to shortstop CJ Abrams and second baseman Luis Garcia Jr. But someone like Kim, who will require a period of adjustment to the MLB game, could be a great backup option for the Nats.

Abrams struggled to keep up his stellar first-half form after the All-Star break, and Garcia has yet to prove he can string together seasons like had in 2024. This makes Kim a solid option to fill in at either spot, should Abrams’ struggles continue or Garcia experience some regression from 2024.